August 30: Birth of Disney Legend #1

On this day in 1908, actor Fred MacMurray was born Frederick Martin MacMurray in Kankakee, Illinois (although he was raised in Wisconsin).
Widely known for his television role of Steve Douglas on the long-running sitcom My Three Sons, Disney fans know MacMurray for the 7 feature films he starred in between 1959 and 1973. Although he began appearing on Broadway and in films back in the 1930s, his career received a boost when he was cast as the father in the 1959 Disney comedy The Shaggy Dog.
MacMurray was honored for his Disney work on October 13, 1987 when he was inducted as the very first Disney Legend.
Learn more about MacMurray and his Disney contributions HERE.

For more August 30 Disney History, please click HERE.

August 28: Introducing Lucky

On this day in 2003 - Lucky the Dinosaur, the first Audio-Animatronic figure to walk freely and interact with park guests, debuted as a test in Disney's California Adventure.
Approximately 8 feet tall, Lucky was a green biped dinosaur who pulled a flower-covered cart and was led by Chandler the Dinosaur Handler (a fellow dressed as a wizard). The dinosaur was the very first free-roving creation dreamed up by Disney's Imagineers. The flower cart Lucky pulled actually concealed a computer and power source. Lucky was capable of moving, vocalizing (in Dinosaur language), and responding to guests! Imagineers went as far as adding thumping sounds that were in sync with Lucky's feet to simulate what a heavy dinosaur may have sounded like when moving.
In Summer 2005, Lucky made appearances at Disney's Animal Kingdom (in DinoLand USA of course). He was then moved to Hong Kong Disneyland for the park's grand opening.
Lucky wouldn't be spotted again until the D23 Expo in 2009 - but his technology enabled another free-roving attraction - Muppet Mobile Lab to wow park guests at various Disney theme parks around the world.
Advances in computers, software, miniaturization, and electronics have enabled Disney Imagineers to create some amazing things. What will the future hold?

Click HERE for more August 28 Disney history.

August 24: I Wanna Be Like You

Entertainer, singer, actor, songwriter, and trumpeter Louis Prima passed away on this day in 1978.
Disney fans will recognize his distinctive voice as the raucous orangutan King Louie in the 1967 animated classic The Jungle Book. In the film Prima's character sang the memorable "I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" written by Robert and Richard Sherman. It was actually Disney record producer Tutti Camarata who convinced Prima to take part in the animated film. ("I Wanna Be Like You" has been re-recorded countless times by such artists as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Smash Mouth, and the Jonas Brothers.)
Born into a musical family in New Orleans, Prima started playing professionally in his late teens. His trumpet and singing style was directly influenced by growing up in New Orleans - a city oozing with musical diversity. Like jazz great Louis Armstrong (also a New Orleans singing trumpet player) Prima developed a distinct scat singing style.
Throughout his professional life, he rode the musical trends of his time. Prima started out with a New Orleans jazz band in the 1920s, then led a swing combo in the 1930s, a big band in the 1940s, a hip Vegas act in the 1950s, and a pop rock band in the 1960s. As a songwriter, Prima's 1936 composition "Sing, Sing, Sing" became one of the biggest hits of the swing era (first made famous by Benny Goodman).
Prima is probably best remembered for his 1950s Vegas act with singer Keely Smith (his fourth wife), saxophonist Sam Butera and his band The Witnesses. A mix of humor and swing/blues/boogie-woogie music, Smith and Prima were the model for Sonny & Cher - a wise-cracking Italian musician and an exotic serious singer. Throughout the 1950s they tirelessly performed to sold-out audiences at The Sahara in Las Vegas and released a string of record albums. Prima and Smith even won a Grammy in 1959 for their single "That Old Black Magic."
Prima's legacy continues today as his influence can be heard in recordings by Brian Setzer (who recorded a version of Prima's "Jump Jive and Wail") and David Lee Roth (who had a huge hit with a version of "Just a Gigolo"/"I Ain't Got Nobody"). Many of his old recordings have been used on television (The Sopranos and Gilmore Girls) and in feature films (Mission Impossible III and Elf).
Sadly in 1973, Louis Prima suffered a mild heart attack. Two years later he complained of headaches and had bouts of memory loss. Unfortunately it was discovered that he had a stem brain tumor. Following surgery (to remove the tumor) he went into a coma and never recovered. He spent the last few years of his life in a New Orleans nursing home until his death at the age of 67 on this day in 1978.
He is buried in Metaire Cemetery in his hometown. Prima's gray marble crypt features a figure of the angel Gabriel playing a trumpet. The inscription on the crypt's door quotes the lyrics from one of his biggest hit songs:
"When the end comes I know, they'll say just a gigolo, and life goes on without me."

Click HERE for more August 24 Disney history.

August 21: "Silly Old Bear"

On this day in 1920, Christopher Robin Milne was born to Dorothy and Alan Alexander Milne at 11 Mallord Street in Chelsea, London, England.
Just a year later Christopher was given a teddy bear (which he called Edward) for his first birthday. The stuffed animal, along with a real bear named "Winnie" from the London Zoo, became the inspiration for the character of Winnie-the-Pooh. Christopher's father Alan, was a noted writer and playwright long before he dreamed up Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.

Click HERE for more August 21 Disney History.

August 20: Annual Tribute To Winnie

On this day in 2004, Winnie's Hometown Festival kicked off for 3 days in White River, Ontario, Canada. An annual event (held every third week in August) since 1988, the festival celebrates the real bear who was the inspiration for A. A. Milne's lovable character Winnie the Pooh.
On August 24, 1914 (during World War I) troops from Winnipeg were being transported to eastern Canada when the train made a stop in White River. Aboard the train was a lieutenant named Harry Colebourn who, during the stop in White River, purchased a small female black bear cub for $20. It wasn't uncommon for soldiers to purchase mascots and Colebourn (also a veterinarian) felt sorry for the little bear as its mother had been killed by a hunter. Colebourn named the bear Winnie - after his hometown of Winnipeg.
Winnie became the mascot of the 34th Fort Gary Horse of Winnipeg, Canadian Infantry Brigade and traveled to Britain with the soldiers. When Colebourn was ordered to go to the battlefields of France, he took Winnie to live at the London Zoo. While living at the zoo, Winnie became very popular .... especially with a young boy named Christopher Robin - the son of A. A. Milne. Milne went on to write a series of stories about Winnie the Pooh, Chrisopher Robin, and all their friiends in the 100-Acre-Wood. (Winnie passed away at the zoo at the ripe old age of 20 in 1934.)
Winnie's Hometown Festival (organized by the White River Historical Society and the community of White River) features a different theme every year. Themes have included "Winnie Looks to the Future," "Winnie Goes to Vegas," and "Winnie's Four Seasons."
The theme for 2004 - which kicked off on this day - was "Winnie Goes Hawaiian."

Click HERE for more August 20 Disney history.

August 19: Walt's Passport

On this day in 1965, Walt Disney was issued a U.S. passport (for an upcoming trip to London, England).

At one time up for sale on ebay, the passport was eventually sold in April 2007 for $28,680.

Click HERE for more August 19 Disney History.

August 17: The Voice of Stromboli

On this day in 1882 stage & screen actor Charles Judels was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands. A film actor who appeared in over 130 films, Judels is best known to Disney fans as the voice of Stromboli and the Coachman in the 1940 animated feature Pinocchio. His expertise with dialects served him well during his 50-plus year career and certainly gave the character of Stromboli the puppeteer a villainous quality. Despite his limited screen time, Stromboli is often cited as one of Disney's greatest villains!

Click HERE for more August 17 Disney History.